The BlackBerry PlayBook is BlackBerry's first tablet and their first device using a brand new QNX-powered operating system. The 7-inch tablet boasts a characteristic touch-sensitive bezel which enables a whole series of gestures to summon menus and switch between applications. BlackBerry Bridge allows data from a BlackBerry smartphone to be seen and worked with on the PlayBook, though software updates introduced many of those functions as stand-alone on the tablet. The BlackBerry PlayBook was announced on September 27, 2010, and released on April 19, 2011.

The original version of the device was Wi-Fi only, but a year later LTE-enabled PlayBooks were made available. Models were produced with 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB of internal storage, and had a full array of inputs, including the first micro-HDMI port on a BlackBerry device and a custom quick-charge plug. The PlayBook was the first BlackBerry device to employ video chat and a front-facing camera, a feature which was later brought to the smartphone side on the BlackBerry Z10. On the front face are two high-quality speakers to provide stereo sound.

Timeline Beta

Aug 22, 2014
Want a cheap tablet? Pick up the BlackBerry PlayBook at a silly price from ebay

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For many of us the BlackBerry PlayBook is a thing of the past. Sure, I still have mine, but I'll be honest and say that these days I very rarely switch it on. The PlayBook itself is still, in my eyes, a great tablet - it's just with no ongoing support from BlackBerry it is I'm afraid a dying breed.

Jun 30, 2014
Grab a BlackBerry PlayBook for $69.99 today only from eBay

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If you're looking for BlackBerry PlayBook, then we have a deal for you. Ebay is currently selling the 16GB version of the PlayBook for just $69.99. That's a sharp discount from its normal price of $499.99.

May 23, 2014
From the forums: The BlackBerry PlayBook 10 concept and this one looks a real beauty

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Currently, as far as we know, another PlayBook isn't on the cards anytime soon for BlackBerry. That doesn't stop our CrackBerry forum members from wanting a new and improved BlackBerry 10 tablet though.

Andreas Kimishis1 has come up with yet another concept and I must say that it looks glorious. Since BlackBerry confirmed that the original PlayBook would not a get BlackBerry 10 update as we were first promised, mine has taken a back seat and I tend to use an iPad mini for my tablet needs - which is mainly for watching movies in bed - no not that sort!

We posted recently that CascaRun Sports Tracker had been updated for BlackBerry 10 smartphones and with the update brought a free version so folk could experience the app before committing to the paid edition.

Following yesterday's BlackBerry PlayBook update and subsequent recognition that this is the last OS update the BlackBerry PlayBook will ever see, the community has been pretty vocal. Looking back at the history of the PlayBook, it really is a sad story. So much potential, but instead we're left with shattered dreams, broken promises and what still feels all these years later, like an unfinished project.

What a lot of people may not realize is that the vision for original BlackBerry tablet was much simpler. As the story goes, what Research In Motion founder Mike Lazaridis originally wanted was a simple big screen companion device for his BlackBerry Smartphone. Much more a simple multimedia accessory and much less a full blown standalone tablet. Plans were already in motion on this one before Apple announced the original iPad in early 2010, but after that announcement BlackBerry pivoted and the vision for BlackBerry's tablet became much BIGGER, and of course, much more difficult to execute on.

What's ironic, and is well illustrated by the message I received this morning from CrackBerry member Jsolts, is that the original basic "big window to a BlackBerry" functionality is still what's wanted today!

There's a depressing saying that goes something like, "Everybody dies twice. The first time when you stop breathing, and the second time when somebody mentions your name for the last time."

In the case of the BlackBerry PlayBook, the first death came when BlackBerry made it clear they would not be delivering BlackBerry 10 to the tablet. The PlayBook is now (arguably) approaching its second death with word coming via BlackBerry's official Software Support Life Cycle site that shows April 2014 will mark the end of support for BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0.x and 2.1.x.

Mar 19, 2014
60% of BlackBerry PlayBook owners are still perfectly happy using their tablets

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A short while ago we ran a poll asking if you still use your BlackBerry PlayBook. To be honest - I wasn't feeling overly positive about the results bearing in mind that the BlackBerry tablet was first released in 2011 - which seems an age away now.

Mar 18, 2014
BlackBerry still actively working on PlayBook OS updates, Bridge update now available

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If you've been wondering whether or not BlackBerry was still actively working on PlayBook OS updates, it seems there's enough information out there to say they are indeed. Although there's no sign of when or even if it will be rolled out, they've now got OS version 2.1.0.1895 certified and right at this very moment, there's a BlackBerry Bridge update rolling out through BlackBerry World with a few changes in it. Thanks, Thurask!

Cruising through the forums today, I came across this post from TheJelen with an interesting BlackBerry PlayBook 2 design. The concept here is a big ol' beast packing plenty of processing power, more than enough RAM, a huge battery and a 10" screen. It would of course be running BlackBerry 10 as well and have plenty of customization options at the ready. There would even be two headphone jacks and four speakers for amazing sound. Overall quite the concept if you ask me.

For you folk that are still rocking a BlackBerry PlayBook you may well want to grab some flappy action thanks to Flappy Herbie Saga: Trolls Of The Forest. We recently announced that the Flappy Birds spin off was available for BlackBerry 10 and it has now made its way over to the BlackBerry tablet.

It was only a short time ago that we asked the CrackBerry Nation if you were still using your PlayBook and the results were very much in favor of the BlackBerry tablet — despite not getting the update to BlackBerry 10.

Jan 19, 2014
CrackBerry Asks: Do you still use your BlackBerry PlayBook?

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Looking back to when BlackBerry released their first tablet, the PlayBook, seems an age ago now. When BlackBerry 10 came to the market PlayBook users were looking forward to the new OS running on their PlayBook's as promised by the company themselves. Unfortunately, things changed and getting BlackBerry 10 onto the tablet never panned out.

If you thought the BlackBerry PlayBook wasn't going to see any more updates, TELUS is here to tell you otherwise. They're rolling out OS 2.1.0.1753 for the 4G LTE PlayBook today to bring along a few fixes and enhancements.

An Indiegogo campaign recently kicked off for Sky Drone FPV, a project which would allow users to remotely view from an unmanned aerial vehicle via BlackBerry 10 device or PlayBook. Rather than relying on traditional image relay techniques which are subject to a lot of interference, the Sky Drone uses a 3G and LTE modem to send its image to the BlackBerry. Users will be able to record 1080p video and take still pictures, all transmitted over AES 256 encryption. On the ground, you'll be able to pilot the device from your phone or tablet and watch the action from the low-latency video feed and optional data overlay.

Aug 06, 2013
Get a 64GB BlackBerry PlayBook for just $130, but you have to act fast!

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Though a lot of people are mad about the PlayBook's future, there are plenty of people that realize that the PlayBook is a great tablet for media and games, as well as pairing with your legacy BlackBerry smartphone for all types of other tasks. If you're looking for a fantastic deal on a new PlayBook, you can pick one up for just $129.99 from 1SaleADay right now! But, you have to act fast as the sale ends in just under 6 hours (midnight EST).

If you're not familiar with 1SaleADay, it's a site that offers various items for a low discount for 24 hours only. I've ordered from them several times in the past and have no complaints, aside from the fact that the shipping is sometimes very slow. However, the shipping is free, and the deals are pretty great sometimes, so maybe that makes up for it. Hit the link below if you're interested in the deal, and let us know if you decide to buy one!

Following up on the results of CrackBerry's Mega BlackBerry Survey, the next area to deep dive into is the section of questions directed at PlayBook tablet owners.

With official word coming during BlackBerry's recent earnings report that the PlayBook will not be receiving an update to BlackBerry 10, the active PlayBook community on CrackBerry pretty much went into a rage. On the earnings call we didn't receive too much information as to exactly why this decision was made, so heading to BlackBerry HQ for our annual visit we were hoping for some answers and closure, which we did receive.

The bottom line as we were told? While BlackBerry *could* have put BB10 on the PlayBook, the performance would have been so bad that you'd likely be wanting to downgrade to your existing OS, and CEO Thorsten Heins made a commitment to no longer deliver any sub par BlackBerry products to market.

An epic gaming experience - Dozens of missions plus random events will make you feel all the thrills of being a superhero. Deal with hostage situations, bomb squads, jailbreaks and car chases to prove that you’re the true protector of Gotham. A thrilling fighting system that puts you right in the heart of the action thanks to many different moves and cinematic effects. Collect items hidden within the city to unlock upgrades and new fighting skills for Batman.

Play as the Dark Knight - Access Batman’s complete arsenal and learn how to take full advantage of each tool. Use the Grapnel to cross the city or to defeat foes, throw the Batarang to knock out your enemies or to hit a distant button; the possibilities are infinite. When kicks and gadgets are of no use, The Dark Knight relies on his vehicles to get the job done. Drive the Bat-Pod for special vigilante missions or pilot The Bat for fast travel across the city.

Experience Gotham like you never have before - Explore the entire city of Gotham and its different districts spread across a huge map and enjoy stunning graphics for total immersion in the dark universe of Batman.

If you're looking to get in on the action, Gameloft has also set The Dark Knight Rises at the $.99 price point which, for a game of this quality is certainly well worth the asking price in my opinion. Hit the link below to get it downloaded from BlackBerry World.

When you talk about BlackBerry 10 on the BlackBerry PlayBook, it's sure to cause some commotion. When you go posting images of BlackBerry 10 running on the BlackBerry PlayBook, it's sure to cause an even bigger commotion. With that in mind, there have been a few images appearing here and there with BlackBerry 10 running on the PlayBook. Now, before everyone loses their minds over them let me say this. Yes, they're legit -- but only kind of. Ever since BlackBerry 10 was in beta form, people have been trying to load it onto their PlayBooks.

May 03, 2013
Load up on some great games - Gameloft sale happening now!

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Gameloft has been a roll lately with their releases for the BlackBerry platform and it looks as though they're hosting a pretty big sale right now. If you open up BlackBerry World and head to the Gameloft listing, you should see a bunch of titles have either been reduced in price or have gone outright free. The sale isn't held just to any one specific device either, BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry PlayBook and BlackBerry 10 titles are all sharing the price drop. If you're looking to load up on some great games, it looks like now is a prime opportunity to do so. Here's some of the listings we're seeing:

That's just a sample of some of our favorites that Gameloft has to offer. Have any of the ones you've been waiting for gone on sale? If so, let others know in the comments. Keep in mind please, not all the games and devices are supported in all regions.

"The U.S. Department of Defense's strict security requirements are amongst the highest in the world, and this allows other government bodies to follow suit. The role of BlackBerry including devices and BlackBerry Enterprise Service 10 continues to be important and relevant for security conscious organizations."

Earlier this year, you may remember BlackBerry 10 became FIPS certified before it had even publicly launched, so the news of approval by the DoD might not be all that surprising to some. In any case, it's another nod to the security BlackBerry continues to offer built right into their devices. If you're looking for the full press release, you can jump below to view it.

I love it when new things seem to pop up out of nowhere. With that in mind, I was quite a bit overly excited to see that League of Heroes has arrived in BlackBerry World for the BlackBerry PlayBook. The game which gained popularity on iOS, Android and Facebook is pretty awesome and one of my all time favorite time wasters. If you're not familiar with the game, it's a pretty epic action adventure game that you'll lose plenty of hours to and the features included make for some great replay value:

A never ending adventure - Hack your way through unlimited areas in the forest of Frognest.

Gear up and customize your character - Choose the best strategy to fight enemies and customize your character with countless armor options and weapons.

Real-life weather effects - Play the game and enjoy several weather and time effects based on real weather in your location. You will experience heavy rain with thunder, cloudiness, fogs, night time, etc. Internet connection required.

The only downside i can see here is the fact that Gamelion Studios opted to charge $3.99 for the PlayBook version when all other variations of the game are free. I'm not saying it's not worth the $3.99 but some parity here would have been nice to see. You can check out the trailer above to get a good look at what you'll be getting yourself into or if you're ready to jump in right now, hit the link below to grab the download.

All BlackBerry PlayBook

As most folks may already know, there is a lot of apps in BlackBerry App World built for the BlackBerry PlayBook that will transition over to the BlackBerry 10 platform with very few (if any) adjustments. To help developers out with the process though, RIM has been doing some testing of current PlayBook apps and then porting (even though it's not really a "port") them over for BlackBerry 10...

I think it is safe to say we have all heard of Space Invaders - in fact many of us on Team CrackBerry probably grew up playing the game. There are a few Space Invaders options in BlackBerry App World for the PlayBook but new this week is PGZ Space Invaders that I really like.
As you would expect there isn't much to the classic game, just shoot the attacking aliens and dodge their missiles that...

The concept of Ring Pilot is certainly not new. I'm pretty sure I remember similar games to this one going back years, however it is nice that we now have a sweet version for the BlackBerry PlayBook -- and even better news is that it is free.
The aim of the game (if you have not already guessed) is to guide your plane through a selection of hoops on the screen. You need to be prescise as even...

It's always nice to discover new apps and almost daily, I'll visit App World via my BlackBerry Smartphone and PlayBook to check out interesting apps. Today, I've got three apps tell you about, all for your BlackBerry PlayBook.
They are all camera related. As you know, the BlackBerry PlayBook is a convenient size for carrying around and even taking pictures of video footage with. i do it...

As far as I am concerned there is nothing better than finding a great, fun game for the PlayBook that is free and Monster Dash is just that.
The plot is simple. You control an elite soldier who runs from left to right and as well as jumping over obstacles you must shoot the bad guys that are out to get you. With your lives shown as hearts on the top right of the screen you can pick up more along...

Another challenging game arrived for the BlackBerry PlayBook this week - this time in the form of FlyCraft. Not just another port from a different OS, FlyCraft was created exclusively for the PlayBook over the month of October. The object of the game is to build a flying machine for your bug, Herbie, and fly as far as you can which will earn you points and extra tools to use on your mean machine...

If you're looking to pick up a new BlackBerry PlayBook in Canada, there is a fantastic deal going on this weekend only at Future Shop. From 8PM EST to 10AM EST Saturday night and 5PM EST to 10AM EST Sunday night you can grab a 32GB PlayBook for just $129 with free shipping. With Christmas looming and BlackBerry 10 on the horizon, this is a great opportunity to buy the 32GB at a reduced price...

Looking for the ultimate MP3 player on your BlackBerry PlayBook? StereoTube for YouTube + MP3 Music Player could well be it. The application from Andrei Avram (who also brought us Animated Weather HD + Voice that we recently featured) combines your favourite music from YouTube and also your personal MP3's that you have stored on your PlayBook into one tidy application.
Creating and adding to...

If you have watched the above video you would have heard me say that I lost my car once at an airport and at 2am in the morning being tired and irritable it was a stressful half hour. Next time it won't happen as I will have Car Finder installed on my BlackBerry PlayBook.
The application does just what the name suggests. With a simple, yet effective user interface, when you park your car in an...

The iPad mini goes on sale today. While the hype doesn't seem to be as feverish as we have seen in the past for iPhone and iPad launches, there are some people lining up for it, including iMore's illustrious EiC and Apple guru, Rene Ritchie.
Rene has been doing a fantastic job covering the iPad mini from every possible angle since Apple officially announced the smallish 7.9" tablet that is...

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